Exploring inclusive education and its challenges for the deaf students at the Waterberg tvet college.

Abstract

Despite South Africa’s progressive, inclusive education policies, Deaf students continue to experience systemic exclusion at tertiary institutions, particularly in the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) sector. This study explores inclusive education and its challenges for Deaf students at The Waterberg TVET College, a public institution in Limpopo Province. Anchored in the interpretivist paradigm, the research adopts a qualitative case study approach to explore the lived experiences of Deaf students and the perceptions of faculty and institutional support staff. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and document analysis to identify institutional, pedagogical, and infrastructural barriers to inclusion. Key findings reveal that while national frameworks, such as the Education White Paper 6 and the Strategic Policy Framework on Disability, advocate for inclusive practices, implementation at the institutional level remains inconsistent. Deaf students face communication barriers due to a lack of South African Sign Language (SASL) interpreters, unadopted curricula, limited assistive technologies and insufficient staff training. Moreover, negative attitudes and limited awareness further hinder social and academic integration. The study concludes that addressing these barriers requires a multi-dimensional strategy involving policy enforcement, staff capacity-building, resource allocation and active engagement with Deaf culture and language. The findings contribute to the discourse on inclusive post-secondary education and offer practical recommendations for transforming TVET colleges into accessible and equitable learning environments for all students.